My problem is that the service was great with Alyssa, calls returned in a timely manner etc, right up till I gave them the final payment. I was informed that my parts would not ship for a week because of getting back ordered leaf springs shipped. I had no problem with this. After two weeks with no word I called Alyssa who sounded annoyed, said she would look into it and call back. No call, no answer to e-mails. I understand being busy, but how long does it take to pop out an email? Definitely not impressed.
Anyone here ever done business with Weldtec?
- Thread starter zip
- Start date
brianjwilson
Some sort of lost...
I hear ya! I’d be annoyed as well.
zip
I prefer social distancing.
How did you like this: 2011 E350 EB v10, Ujoint 6" 4x4, 4.56 ARBs, 35s, aluminess etc. ?
brianjwilson
Some sort of lost...
There were pros and cons. Overall I liked it. I thought that, for the price, the kit could have been a little more refined. I’m an exceptionally picky customer when it comes to driveline angles and such though. The van drove and handled way better than stock.
I had RSC issues which could never really be remedied, so I had to disable it with a tuner which left a bunch of dash lights on and chimes every 30 minutes. The driveline angle up front prevented driving above 45mph with hubs engaged, without having strong driveline vibrations. I would have happily spent the money on a custom front axle to alleviate that if I’d have known. Same thing you’d get in a Jeep or lifted F series unless you run a custom axle with the pinion tilted up. (again I’m picky). I ran a custom axle in my Jeep for this reason. In the mountains out here you can be on a windy road with bare pavement, then on ice, deep snow, back to bare pavement in a mile or two and I don’t like being speed restricted when the road conditions varied so much.
Generally it was a good overall setup, fairly simple. Again great handling, great braking. If I were to run a similar kit again I’d entertain a custom front axle and see if maybe the stock sized pitman arm worked and might prevent RSC problems.
At the end of the day, I decided I needed more room for the family anyway, and for staying in it for 7 days at a time at the coast. I looked at fiberglass tops, and realized the van would be so tall it wouldn’t fit anywhere I’d want to take it. So I ended up with the Sprinter that drives like a big car and had straighter walls that and I could stand up in. And I can drive it at 80mph in 4x4/AWD without an issue.
I’m entertaining the idea of a Ford Class C in the future. I love the idea of 4x4 for sand and snow, but given the cost of the kit plus a custom from axle housing, it’s hard to justify on something so big. It seems like the weldtec setup should handle way better than stock, improve clearance all the same and allow decent tires to take the rig most of the places it would fit. Maybe throw a locker in big and just avoid the sand.
brianjwilson
Some sort of lost...
I was just thinking about this, it may deserve a disclaimer.
I ordered the kit from Ujoint and had it shipped. I installed a lot of it, and paid someone else to help with welding and pitman arm install and some other misc help. The drive lines were built by a local company. Another local company re-geared and locked the rear axle.
If I went down this road again I would drive the rig to Ujoint, sit down with Chris and go over expectations and everything and let them handle everything. Upon pickup it would involve a full road test. A lot of my gripes were about expectations, but of Ujoint had installed everything onsight I suspect there would have been more cooperation as well. For me, having aligned expectations and communications is very important.
Beyond all that, I think I sent a $10k deposit and waited months for leaf springs. I know long wait times was a common theme for a while. Maybe it has changed. But when you go to deaver or someone ask for one or two custom sets that they have to engineer, they’re just going to keep cranking out easy production stuff first. I’m sure as one builds a longer relationship and has several options for spec springs that are already engineered, this happens faster. Either way, custom one off stuff just takes time. Anything recreational lately seems to have a crazy demand and long lead times.
Hi everyone
I wanted to post a follow-up to my last post. I was actually able to reach Alyssa at Weldtech today. She informed me that my parts were setup to ship today and that they will be picked up tomorrow. Evidently they are burried, and are way behind. I can understand that, but a little communication goes a long way towards a smooth sale. This is something that most businesses forget nowadays, and in my opinion is the most important thing.
I wanted to post a follow-up to my last post. I was actually able to reach Alyssa at Weldtech today. She informed me that my parts were setup to ship today and that they will be picked up tomorrow. Evidently they are burried, and are way behind. I can understand that, but a little communication goes a long way towards a smooth sale. This is something that most businesses forget nowadays, and in my opinion is the most important thing.
I purchased the weldtec grocery getter for my rig a few years back. Lets just say i have absolutely nothing good to say about the entire experience or the kit. If you plan on buying this kit the first question out of your mouth should be.... "exactly what application are the front coil springs in the kit originally intended for?" They are 1/2 ton bronco/f150 coil springs and have no business being on your van. The following is for a 1996 ford bronco front spring capacity rating and a 2004 ford E series front spring capacity rating, you do the math. I have listed each vehicles front curb weight rating after its spring capacity rating.
If you install this weldtec kit on your rig you will regret it in short order. The coil springs they use are grossly under rated for the weight of your van. These specs are for stock oem springs. The springs in the weldtec kit are designed and intended to lift a ford bronco or f150, that means they will have even LESS capacity than what is shown here. Pay attention to the difference, these springs will ride ok initially on your van, but will begin to sag and lose strength in short order, then your ride quality will begin to deteriorate at a rapid rate.
I have also listed the front curb weight of each vehicle following its front spring capacity.
1996 Ford Bronco = Spring Capacity - Front (lbs): 2450 Curb Weight - Front (lbs): 2323
2004 Ford E-150 = Spring Capacity - Front (lbs): 3240 Curb Weight - Front (lbs): 2769
2004 Ford E-250 = Spring Capacity - Front (lbs): 3550 Curb Weight - Front (lbs): 2871
2004 Ford E-350 = Spring Capacity - Front (lbs): 3800 Curb Weight - Front (lbs): 3032
As you can clearly see, even an E150 in stock form with nothing inside far exceeds the maximum spring capacity of the ford bronco coil springs.
Look at the numbers!! If you have an E150, immediately you have lost right at 800 lbs in front spring capacity. If you have an E-250 you have lost 1100 lbs in front spring capacity, and if you have an E-350 you have lost 1350 lbs of front spring capacity. Wishful thinking does not add extra front spring capacity to the bronco springs used in this kit. They are not designed nor intended to be used on a ford E series van.
If you install this weldtec kit on your rig you will regret it in short order. The coil springs they use are grossly under rated for the weight of your van. These specs are for stock oem springs. The springs in the weldtec kit are designed and intended to lift a ford bronco or f150, that means they will have even LESS capacity than what is shown here. Pay attention to the difference, these springs will ride ok initially on your van, but will begin to sag and lose strength in short order, then your ride quality will begin to deteriorate at a rapid rate.
I have also listed the front curb weight of each vehicle following its front spring capacity.
1996 Ford Bronco = Spring Capacity - Front (lbs): 2450 Curb Weight - Front (lbs): 2323
2004 Ford E-150 = Spring Capacity - Front (lbs): 3240 Curb Weight - Front (lbs): 2769
2004 Ford E-250 = Spring Capacity - Front (lbs): 3550 Curb Weight - Front (lbs): 2871
2004 Ford E-350 = Spring Capacity - Front (lbs): 3800 Curb Weight - Front (lbs): 3032
As you can clearly see, even an E150 in stock form with nothing inside far exceeds the maximum spring capacity of the ford bronco coil springs.
Look at the numbers!! If you have an E150, immediately you have lost right at 800 lbs in front spring capacity. If you have an E-250 you have lost 1100 lbs in front spring capacity, and if you have an E-350 you have lost 1350 lbs of front spring capacity. Wishful thinking does not add extra front spring capacity to the bronco springs used in this kit. They are not designed nor intended to be used on a ford E series van.
Last edited:
zip
I prefer social distancing.
WOW!
Sorry to hear this.
Recently, I saw out on the street a Roadtrek 190 Ford that Jeremy had done a video with on this kit, with a custom leaf springs on the back.
It appeared to me, that the front of the vehicle was much lower than the rear, which definitely won’t work for my application.
Im talking about the Ford E series van kits specifically. I have absolutely zero knowledge in regards to what the Chevrolet/GMC kits consist of.
Im tired of people trying to defend using this kit on ford vans by claiming "i have one and i havent had any issues". You cant argue or change the numbers.
These numbers clearly show that the bronco springs used in this kit are grossly under rated for use on the ford vans regardless of model. Weldtec does not have front springs custom made for this kit. They buy off the shelf ford bronco/f150 lift springs from other offroad manufacturers such as ProComp, Superlift, SkyJacker.
You can select whatever year bronco you wish when searching for capacity numbers and whatever year ford van you wish. The end result will be the same, the bronco/f150 springs have no business being underneath an E series ford van. I wont even get into the fact that they actually bend the I-beams.
I dont recall which model year specifically the coil springs they sent me were for, but they were either skyjacker or superlift. There was a sticker right on the end of the box they came in clearly marked "Ford Bronco/F150" as well as the model year they were intended to fit.
Last edited:
zip
I prefer social distancing.
My bad, I was talking about a Ford Airstream B190.
I have a Chevrolet Roadtrek 190, and am looking to do my next build on an Airstream.
If I do, Ujoint would be my first choice for conversion.
I havent done business with Chris at Ujoint, although i have spoken to him on the phone and other forums and he seems like a nice enough guy. Jeremy at weldtec is also a nice guy so dont get me wrong. I am using the timberline stuff on my rig now and thats only because personally i dont like how Ujoints kit relocates the front axle forward so far in the fenderwell. When i spoke to Chris he said if i purchased his kit that they would "not" relocate the axle locating pin further back on the springs at my request. That automatically eliminated them from my list of candidates because i have a $3000 front bumper that im simply not willing to chop up just to make the front tires fit back on. Im sure Ujoint makes a great kit and it appears to be the only one that uses leaf springs, but im just not willing to chop up other parts on my rig to make it work, personal preference and nothing against Ujoint.
I contacted Tim at Timberline and spoke with him a couple of times. He made me a set of adjustable 4 link arms so i can adjust the caster seperate and apart from the camber.
The ford dana 60 balljoint axles use an offset alignment bushing which must be used to adjust both the camber and caster, which ends up being a compromise if youre a nitpicker like me. With these 4 link arms i can adjust caster with the adjustable arms and reserve the bushings solely for adjusting camber.
I contacted Tim at Timberline and spoke with him a couple of times. He made me a set of adjustable 4 link arms so i can adjust the caster seperate and apart from the camber.
The ford dana 60 balljoint axles use an offset alignment bushing which must be used to adjust both the camber and caster, which ends up being a compromise if youre a nitpicker like me. With these 4 link arms i can adjust caster with the adjustable arms and reserve the bushings solely for adjusting camber.
Roaddude
Long time off-grid vanlife adventurist
.
As a small biz guy myself during the pandemic, I can tell you that MOST businesses, especially in the adventure and outdoors realm, are overwhelmed and experiencing record interest, inquiries, orders, and trying to handle it all, as well as unprecedented shipping delays for raw materials coming in that affect finished products going out.
Not to mention extreme shipping delays of their own products going out because of USPS slowdowns, employees being out due to COVID or vaccinations, or any number of complications.
Here's a notice from FedEx just today about slowdowns in deliveries and production, and this is just one of the things that small manufacturers of custom products like WeldTec have to deal with:
Three weeks is nothing, really, compared to what some businesses are enduring. I ordered gear from OztentUS; inquired a couple times as to status of my order, rec'd no replies, and started to get pissed too, like you, though the order was delivered finest kind the other day. Took longer than you've been waiting.
I realized I've been going through the same ******** myself with my own sales, and need to give other biz a break like I hope my customers give me.
WeldTec has a very solid rep, Jeremy is a great spokesperson and owner, and I've admired their products and the way they've grown and presented themselves for years. I would not hesitate to do business with them, hard times or not.
edit: I see in your later post you got some satisfaction from WeldTec and that parts were being shipped. It all happens when it's supposed to.
Yes, communication can always be better, even in a micro-biz like I have. Though as others have said, they're buried like a lot of other small biz right now from all the complications outlined above, and more. Businesses used to a certain level of commerce that suddenly explodes, combined with historic delays in raw materials and shipping problems and everything else going on right now, tend to not be ready to handle the onslaught of upset clients and customers. It's just simple human nature to hold off on communicating until you have better news to give.
I hope you get what you're after and are happy with the end result.
.
Last edited: